Captivated
by TheChosenOne260
Summary: The Ghost crew is all Ezra has really ever had. He's grown used to the bickering, the fighting, and the teasing. But, now a new villain is after the Ghost crew's youngest member, and she has a new way of "trapping" him...Will Ezra see through the cruel façade, or will the Ghost crew lose their youngest member to the Empire...forever?
1. Opportunities

**Guess who's back? (I hope the answer is me)**

 **I am sooooo sorry for the long wait!**

 **This is just a prologue, but I was dying to start this story!**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Kallus looked dejectedly down at the file containing the names of the best assassins, bounty hunters, and snipers in the galaxy.

All were disappointments.

The kid was crafty, cocky, and sly. If Kallus was going to get rid of him, he would need someone… _unique_.

"Um, Sir, the next one is here."

Kallus looked up, scowling at the uncomfortable trooper in the doorway.

"Send them in."

He sighed, ready for another sure-fire disappointment. He had already thrown out _three_ snipers. The boy was _force sensitive_ , it'd be practically impossible to dispose of him that way… The Empire was counting on him to dispose of this threat. If he did not, there would be consequences.

The dark, gray office didn't help his frustration. The only window, set behind him, gave him a look of power, at least that's the look he was going for.

The door slid open, and a dark figure, a midnight black cloak billowing behind them, approached the table.

Kallus didn't look up from his large stack of papers, "Come in."

Rule one for authority figures: always look like you're busy, even when you aren't.

The figure didn't wait for the invite; they relaxed in the chair set out, swinging one leg carelessly.

Kallus still didn't look up, but he was aware of the figure's actions. _What was this person playing at?_ He or she obviously thought they were some sort of hot-shot. Then again, that was certainly nothing new.

The girl, not wanting to waste any more of her time, kicked her feet up on top of the desk. A stray paper drifted to the floor.

Kallus looked up agitated, trying not to scream at the new arrival. So far, this person was cocky, arrogant, and had _no_ respect for personal space.

"Take your feet off my desk, if you even remotely want a chance at this… _opportunity_."

The figure shrugged, and removed her feet.

Her uncaringness was really beginning to disturb Kallus. He bit down on his tongue hard, before he let out a string of curse words that would make Tarkin blush.

"Remove the hood," Kallus ordered, taking a deep breath.

Another shrug, the rogue shook her head a few times, and the hood fell, revealing long, dark locks.

"You're a _girl_ ," Kallus spat, surprised. She was not only female, but she was relatively young… and she had no respect for a man of his power.

"Thank you for stating the obvious, sir," she sighed, studying the edges of her nails.

"And you have an attitude," Kallus's eyes narrowed; he already hated this _villain_.

Once they had finished their silent stare-off, Kallus reluctantly got down to business.

"Tell me why you, of all these people," he gestured to the long list, "can capture this boy."

Kallus was prepared for another one-worded answer, or perhaps a long, written speech about her _in-depth_ plan.

"I can do it in a way no one has done before," her voice had a confident, simple, cold edge.

Kallus leaned back in his chair, sighing. She was one of _those_ people.

"Oh, please, tell me, what _brilliant_ weapon have you come up with?" Kallus smirked, tired of hearing horrible ideas.

The girl's lip curled, she gave a shrewd look. A look that chilled Kallus, who had personally witnessed the decapitation of two of his trusted co-workers, to the bone.

"I will not be killing the target," she stated firmly.

"That is what I am hiring you to d—," Kallus began angrily, his voice raising an octave.

One shout and he could kick her out. But, something stopped him. This girl was vile, cocky…just like the wretched boy.

"I can control the boy, and we can then decide what to do," the girl smiled like everything was cleared up.

"Control? I don't think you know who you are talking abou—"

Something stopped Kallus in his tracks. The words in his mouth had simply disappeared.

The girl sat, blinking innocently, a small smile plastered on her face.

Kallus froze as he looked into the girl's eyes. They were beautifully blue, a nice, pale turquoise.

 _What a pretty color…_

 _What had he been going on about?_ He felt himself relaxing, slumping thoughtlessly towards the teen.

 _Why resist such a sweet little girl?_

The girl smiled in mock sympathy at the entranced agent.

"Tell me Kallus, if I can turn you into a blubbering, unresponsive idiot, will the boy stand a chance?"

She looked once more into his empty, blank, brown eyes, "You will remember this."

She ripped her eye-contact away ferociously, but casually. She wouldn't alert the Stormtroopers if it wasn't necessary.

Kallus almost fell over trying to back away from the young girl that had so much… _power_? He hadn't been able to move, to think straight. He had held on to her every word, like some mind controlled zombie. _By the galaxy,_ _more_ _force-spawn?_

He made up his mind. He _hated_ her and couldn't tolerate this.

"What—," Kallus began, his voice a lot less commanding then he had wanted.

"That was _hypnotism_ ," She corrected, as if addressing a young child, her eyes wide.

Then she smiled brightly, as if nothing happened.

"With your _eyes_?" Kallus hated being reduced to this. He was an Imperial; he was to be feared, not controlled.

"I'm a very advanced scientist, Kallus," the young girl frowned, attaining a hurt expression.

Kallus couldn't get by her age. She was not yet 18, probably 16, and she had discovered something legendary. Something that could change the course of the future, the whole _galaxy_.

Kallus stood abruptly, brushing himself off.

"A chemical formula capable of hypnotism…The Empire could use that, it's obviously very efficient," Kallus offered, sitting back down. He studied the girl, a new-found interest.

"It's a onetime thing, Kallus," she scowled, her voice void of emotion.

"Either I use it on him, or no one does," her eyes steadily met Kallus's, but this time there was no extra energy, no special power.

Kallus pursed his lips, "How would you go about this?"

She threw her arms behind her head, annoying Kallus. _How did she go about life like nothing matters?_

"Small things at first...little fights between the crew, disobeying orders—," She looked up, as if checking for anything she had missed.

"Then," Her voice suddenly intensified, her face split into a wicked grin.

"Eventually, he'll stay in the entranced state…he'll be unable to resist anything anyone tells him," She glanced gleefully up at Kallus. There was something mad about that smile.

Kallus met her gaze, even though, after his previous experience, his head screamed _no_. He was surprised to see the same madly excited gleam in her eyes. Yeah, he could work with her.

"I think you may have gotten yourself a job," Kallus remarked, a thin smile forming.

"Very well, we will discuss the payment. I have heard it is…high," She gave Kallus her "look" and he knew this wouldn't come cheap. But the thought of getting the voice of hope, the last Padawan, on the _Empire's_ side was too good to pass up.

But, tell me Kallus, who is this _lucky_ boy?" the girl yawned, gathering her cloak in her hands.

"A Jedi—the one they call Ezra Bridger."

* * *

 **Duh, duh, duhn...**

 **What did you think? Any predictions? Any questions? (some will be answered in later chapters ;)**

 **I love hearing from you, please review!**

 **~TheChosenOne260**


	2. The Girl

**Thank you soooo much for all your reviews! Every single one brightened my day!**

 **I am also extremely excited for this story...**

 **As for your predictions, lets just say I have a pretty set idea... ;)**

 **Without further ado...**

* * *

"Ezra Bridger!" Hera scolded.

The orange droid turned, vigorously shaking the clinging boy off. Even Zeb winced as Ezra hit the floor with a loud _thump_!

Ezra groaned rubbing his head. _Was the room supposed to spin?_

"It was Chopper!" Ezra mumbled, accusingly, rubbing his bruised head.

Hera gave a defeated sigh. These kids refused to give her a break! Don't get her wrong, she loved them as her own, but they could be a real pain.

"I don't really care who it was," She glared. "Ezra, I need some things picked up from the market." She already knew how he was going to respond, and placed her hands on her hips defiantly.

Ezra groaned, "Chopper gives me a _concussion_ and gets _nothing_. I'm the _victim_ , and I have to go _shopping_?"

Hera cocked her head, "That's what I just said, isn't it?" Her mock innocent look made it clear Ezra was not going to get out of this easily.

Kanan had been listening to the whole argument, and shook his head slowly, "They never learn, do they?"

Hera didn't respond, just gave him a nod, and a smile she tried to hide.

Ezra glared at the two adults, "I haven't _left_ yet." At his sour expression, Hera and Kanan couldn't help but chuckle. Ezra glanced one more time at the laughing faces of his crewmates before slouching out of the Ghost, Hera's long list in hand.

…..

Ezra wasn't in a good mood, and the teasing didn't help. Of course, he loved his crew, but sometimes they could be….difficult…

Ezra trudged along, his focus on kicking a loose rock along the path. He tried to take his mind off the unfairness of it all. Chopper got away with everything: from a minor concussion, to majorly denting the wall of the Ghost. Ezra seethed, grinding his teeth. Yet, he wondered why he was so angry; this was a _daily routine_ after all.

But that was the problem. It was a daily thing. The teasing and humiliation seemed to _never_ end.

But, studying the bustling streets of Lothal, he couldn't stay mad.

He wondered why his day always seemed to start off to such a sour note.

…..

Ezra double, and triple checked he had all of Hera's requested supplies. Thank goodness she hadn't asked for meilooruns. He would have been livid at her cruel joke.

"Guess that's that," Ezra mumbled to himself, struggling to get a good grip on the various crates he had collected. Another habit he had picked up: talking to himself. It got lonely without another being, so he…. _improvised_.

A high pitched scream snapped Ezra to the present. He looked around wildly, wondering if he had been discovered. But this scream, it sounded like a girl…a girl who was obviously in trouble. And where there was trouble, the Empire was usually involved.

"Let. _Go_!"

Ezra heard the voice more clearly now, he dropped his crates and took off running, dodging citizens and angering shop-keepers. The landscape blurred together, as he stopped everything to help this person. When he thought about it, it probably wasn't the best idea.

He suddenly slowed. He could be running into a trap for all he knew! He tried to catch his breath as he leaned against the side of a creaky, dilapidated building. He was close he knew, close to the person who was in trouble.

"Stop struggling, _girl_ ," an unseen Stormtrooper spat, obviously under some sort of stain.

"I'm not the one struggling," the previously screaming girl gave a crystal laugh at the Stormtrooper's pitiful restraint attempt. Then there was a notable _thwack_ , and the girl let out a cry of pain.

Ezra's curiosity won. He ducked low, and peeked his head out to see what action he was missing. To his surprise, a group of Stormtroopers were struggling to keep hold of the slim figure of a young teen. She thrashed, resisting their weak attempts.

 _Strong,_ Ezra noted, impressed. And her hair…the lustrous black ringlets caught the light as she fought, entrancing Ezra.

"Let's see what _who's_ struggling when the Empire gets ahold of you, _Loth-rat_ ," the white-armored soldier taunted.

The phrase angered Ezra. Not only had they called her a _Loth-rat_ , a name he _despised,_ but they had _threatened_ her.

Before he had time to come up with a reasonable plan, he found the demolished wall he had been leaning on crumble to the ground, leaving him with no cover.

He froze, like a deer in the headlights, until he saw the girl's dancing eyes. _She was trying not to laugh?_

Luckily, the Stormtrooper's were also momentarily stunned.

Ezra whipped out his blaster, gripping the metal contraption tightly. He shot wildly, only pausing to make sure he wasn't shooting the young girl.

He felt the sting of a blaster skim the side of his leg, leaving a burning indention, but ignored it. There was more important things to deal with right now. He finished taking out the three Stormtroopers in a few shots from his lightsaber/blaster hybrid. He smiled, proud of his obvious skill.

He turned around, ready to dramatically save the girl from the Empire's wrath. But, what he found was quite the opposite.

The girl leaned casually on a long gun, two Stormtroopers lying behind her. Ezra's eyes widened in shock. He should be used to girls with crazy-good fighting skills, but he had to admit, this time it took him by surprise.

She gave a smirk, "Thanks for the help."

Ezra's mouth moved, fumbling for words that seemed to escape him.

"Oh, you don't talk? Cool," She made an obvious attempt not to laugh. She ran her fingers carelessly though her black curls.

"I—," Ezra began, stepping forward, finding the courage to speak.

"Oh, so he _does_ talk."

 _Was I ever this annoying?_ Ezra wondered, thoughtfully.

The girl studied him, analyzing him; it seemed like she could see right through him: all his failures, his hopes, his dreams for the future.

But then again, he was probably still dazed from Chopper.

"See ya later—," She paused, looking expectantly at Ezra.

"Ezra," he spoke fast, awkwardly quick. He hadn't had many street friends, or friends period. The Ghost crew was as close as he had got. When he thought about that, it was kind of sad…Maybe it was time for some change…

The girl nodded in satisfaction, "See you later, _Ezra_."

She bent her legs, ready to jump up onto the roof of a nearby apartment.

Ezra realized he hadn't received a name, "Wait—!" He stretched his hand out.

Mid-run, she froze, and turned back to him, her dark curls bouncing. Without waiting for his question, she defiantly blew a strand of black hair out of her face and spoke.

"I'm Txarra."

With that, she was gone, running faster than a terrified Loth-cat. Except her run was _anything_ but terrified.

Ezra was left with five unconscious Stormtroopers, and trillions of unanswered questions.

He had lost the supplies. His fingers grazed the blaster wound, and came up with a sticky crimson liquid. The wound was bleeding profusely, but it was nothing major...he hoped. He would have a lot of explaining to do…

He wrinkled his nose, knowing what was to come.

Yet, the girl didn't waver from his thoughts. Her mysterious aura, and smirk played in his mind. He could use a friend…

"Txarra," Ezra tried. He liked the feel of it in his mouth. It rolled right off the tip of his tongue.

It felt foreign, strong, bold, and….

Rebellious.

* * *

 **What did you think?**

 **Please Review!**

 **I promise there's more to come...**

 **Agenda for the next chapter: _It_ will begin... **

**Until next time,**

 **TheChosenOne260**


	3. The Change

**Hello!**

 **Happy Valentines Day!**

 **I am sooooo excited you guys love the girl's name! I think you'll find out soon, their's more about her name than what meets the eye... ;)**

 **You have all been so supportive, and your reviews have made my day! Keep it up!**

 **Here's the 3rd Chapter of my 3rd story!**

* * *

"Relax, trust in the force."

Ezra grimaced at Kanan's words. Oh, he trusted in the force, but he was _anything_ but relaxed. He grunted in effort as he tried to levitate himself using the force. Kanan had suggested they do it on the ground this time, instead on the top of the Ghost. Ignoring the teasing, Ezra vigorously agreed.

Especially since he hadn't exactly mastered force landing yet…

Truth is, Ezra wasn't really trying too hard, distracted by his leg. Hera had bandaged it, but the pain hadn't left. He shifted, trying to get comfortable without too much fuss.

But, that wasn't the only problem. Every time his leg throbbed, he was reminded of the girl. He _needed_ to find her again.

"Sorry Master," Ezra grumbled.

Kanan sighed," You don't have to be sorry, just _do_ it!"

He noticed the slight movement of his Padawan's leg every so often. He knew not to push it, or to question it for that matter. Ezra would shut him out, saying his leg was "fine" Kanan knew from previous experience.

"That's enough for today," Kanan spoke after a brief pause.

Ezra's face immediately relaxed as he dropped his hand-stand state. He lie on the ground catching his breath, and trying to rub some feeling back into his arms.

"Thank the maker," he murmured to himself, tentatively testing his wounded leg. Kanan frowned, concerned. Ezra had told him he had run into trouble helping a "citizen." But, he had refused to elaborate.

Ezra's eyes glanced towards Hera, just exiting the Ghost, her data-pad in hand. Forgetting his leg, Ezra jogged up to her.

Kanan watched in amusement at how his "tired" and "wounded" Padawan ran when he wanted to.

...

Hera watched the raven-haired teen approach, curious. He skidded to a halt, and peeked at Hera's list.

"You sending someone to the market?" Ezra asked, diplomatically, a hopeful smile on his face.

"Yes, why are you asking?" Hera asked cautiously. Truth be told, she knew where it was going, but Ezra didn't know that.

"Well, Jedi-training is over—and…," Ezra trailed off, a pleading expression on his face.

Hera mocked a shocked expression, looking strangely at Kanan, "Ezra Bridger _wants_ to go to the market?"

"Ha ha," Ezra sighed. "And yes, I want to help."

"Who are you and what have you done with my Padawan?" Kanan grinned, ruffling Ezra's hair. Ezra ducked away. This was fun, but they _really_ had to stop treating him like a kid.

Seeing Ezra's serious expression, Hera gave in, "Fine, but be careful with that leg of yours. I don't want to bandage that again." Ezra knew it was partially a joke, but there was also a truth behind it. Ezra remembered Hera's face when he had walked…well, limped, into the Ghost with a bloody wound. She looked as if she didn't know whether to strangle him, or to faint on the spot. In the end, she had just given him an extra tight bear hug.

"The kid _volunteered_ to go into town?" Sabine spoke in disbelief.

"Yeah, I 'ought that was sup'osed ta be a punishment!" Zeb grumbled, leaning on his bo-rifle.

Kanan just grimaced, "He's up to something."

They watched the figure of their youngest crew member disappear into nothingness.

.…

Ezra knew his exit wasn't the smoothest, but he had to get away somehow. Jedi training was fun and all, but he had to see this girl.

He couldn't explain the feeling. Maybe it was because she was a fellow loth-cat, a street-rat, or perhaps it was the air of mystery surrounding her. He tried to tell himself that was it, but still, it didn't quite feel right.

Ezra slunk around the narrow alley, keeping a keen eye out for patrols. Approaching the place where yesterday's "mishap" happened, there was bound to be a higher level of Imperial soldiers. Ezra kept his back to a building at all times, but this time, he made sure the building was stable.

After an hour of searching, Ezra was beginning to rethink this whole idea. "Now you didn't find the girl, and you didn't get the supplies, wait to go," Ezra grumbled to himself, strolling down a secluded alley. Hera was going to kill him!

"No, I'm pretty sure you found me," a voice spoke, from the darkness in a corner.

Ezra's shock showed plainly on his face as Txarra strode out of the darkness. Seeing Ezra's surprised expression once again, she sighed, "You're gonna have to talk sometime."

"I can talk," Ezra spoke, glaring playfully as he pronounced each word.

Txarra smiled that sparkling innocent smile, "Good."

"So, uh, where'd you go yesterday?" Ezra flashed a large smile, then winced at how dumb that sounded. Wait, why did he even care?

"I live on the streets, gotta keep moving. What'd you want? A formal introduction?" Txarra raised an eyebrow, but the soft smile didn't leave her lips.

Ezra shouldn't have been surprised by her answer….it _was_ something he would say, "Well…uh…."

Txarra straightened up, brushing herself off in large dramatic motions. She held her hand out, "I'm Txarra Albiste, and you are?"

Ezra broke his large goofy smile, deciding to play along, and put on a mock serious expression. "I am Ezra Bridger of the Lothal system." He surprised himself by taking her hand in his.

She gave him a satisfied smile and gently lifted her hand out of his, "Glad that's over." She thought for a second, eying Ezra, "You wanna have some fun?"

Ezra cocked his head, but he liked the spark, the fire of passion in Txarra's eyes, "How?"

Txarra stared past Ezra at patrols, "You'll see."

…..

"What are we doing?" Ezra whispered, running alongside Txarra.

"Watch and learn," Txarra smirked, glancing quickly at Ezra. Without another word, she launched herself at the nearest Stormtrooper.

Ezra's eye twitched as he stared in complete shock at Txarra's idea of "fun." Txarra was truly something as she twirled, blocking every Stormtrooper's blow, knocking their guns on the floor.

"What are you waiting for?" Txarra shouted, a grin plastered on her face.

Ezra watched several Stormtroopers turn towards him. Great, now he was a known friend of their attacker. He nervously raised a hand and gave a small wave.

Oh, to heck with it.

Ezra found himself throwing himself at the nearest target. "You're crazy, you know," Ezra shouted, grunting as he ducked a fist. "We have to get out of here before they call reinforcements!"

To Ezra's surprise, Txarra laughed loudly, "I dismantled all their comms; they're not calling anyone." She let out one more battle-cry, and the last Stormtrooper fell.

The two loth-rats stood panting in the alley, surrounded by unconscious figures in white armor.

Finally, Ezra spoke, "What was that for?"

Txarra shrugged, "I felt like it."

Ezra didn't bother hide his confusion, "Revenge? I mean, they didn't really do anything—"

"But wasn't it fun?"

Ezra relayed the question in his mind. Maybe it hadn't been right to attack them for no reason…But then again, after all they did, after all they represented, maybe they did deserve to pay…

Ezra's face split into a relaxed grin, "I guess it was." Though, his voice had a questioning edge. _Had it been fun?_

"Those bucket-heads, they act like they're all tough guy, but in the end, they're really just big babies," Txarra gave another kick to the head of a trooper.

"Yeah, did you see how they screamed? They sounded like little girls!" Ezra laughed easily.

Txarra examined the unconscious bodies, "Pick one."

Ezra knew not to question, he pointed to a trooper in the corner, "How 'bout that one?"

Txarra smiled, "That works." She strolled casually over to the one Ezra had chosen, and kicked them in the head, hard enough to leave a dent. Then she began to punch, her fists finding cracks in the armor, unprotected skin.

Ezra stared….for the 27th time that day.

"Whatcha waiting for, an invitation?" Txarra stood, but her foot still found it's mark time after time.

"What did he do?" Ezra asked. She must have something against them…just like me.

"He's weak," Txarra reasoned, "and he joined the Empire, so why shouldn't I hurt him?"

Ezra had grown up on the street. Things were not easy. There was many times he had to do something he'd usually never do for food. Did that make him a bad person? Maybe. But, he did it to survive….right? He'd never purposely hurt someone for no reason. It had been for food, for shelter…to stay _alive_.

But now, after the thrill of this fight, was that the truth? Or was he telling himself a lie. If this was a lie, what else was?

Ezra paled as he considered this.

"Ezra?" Txarra questioned, waving a hand in front of his face, "You gonna help show this guy who's boss?"

Txarra's voice snapped him out of his deep thoughts. He was thinking too _deeply_ , too philosophic. Karabast, what was wrong with him?

This was just a _normal_ everyday activity for a rebel, a street-rat.

Ezra stepped forward and gave the man a soft kick with his uninjured leg.

Txarra snorted, not impressed, "That's all you got?"

Ezra raised an eyebrow, "Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet!" He spun and delivered a round-house kick to the target's chest.

"Come on, like you mean it," Txarra laughed, nodding her head in satisfaction. Ezra groaned, but smiled, and gave a well-placed punch to his helmet.

"Eh, not bad, for a boy," Txarra mocked. "Let's go, before the sun sets." The fallen, beaten Stormtrooper moaned, a terrible sound that Ezra tried to block out. He looked up at the sky, and was surprised to find the blue sky turning a swirling yellow and red.

"Karabast, I'll never make it back to the Ghost before night," Ezra groaned, knowing how hard it was to find the hidden ship.

"Come with me, I know a place that's covered; You can spend your night there," Txarra began walking away.

Ezra found himself glancing back at the Stormtrooper they had just demolished. _Had it been right to inflict that much damage_? _Sure he worked for the Empire, but how do I know he wasn't a newbie, someone forced to do it, for their family….What if he had a family?_

Ezra forced himself to look away as a thin red liquid began to seep out of the cracks in the white armor.

Txarra glanced back, "You coming slow-poke?"

Ezra gave a weak grin, most of his thoughts forgotten as he looked to the beautiful teen.

 _Just a normal day, a normal thing to do_.

Atleast, that's what he told himself.

* * *

 **Trust me, the real fun hasn't begun yet...**

 **What did you think?**

 **Please review! It's what keeps me going!**

 **I think the next chapter is probably my favorite, so stay tuned!**

 **Until Next Time,**

 **~TheChosenOne260**


	4. The Beginning of the End

**Oh my, I am _so_ sorry for the long break!**

 **I had a few things to figure out plot-wise, but everything's pretty much set now ;)**

 **Anyways, I enjoy your AMAZING comments and suggestions, so please keep them coming!**

 **What did you think of Homecoming? Another Hera-Centric episode!**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Ezra sat with Txarra, huddled under the tarp she called home. It didn't look like much, but it sat high above the town; you could see everything from there!

"It's…amazing," Ezra said, hushed, looking at the lit up city. Txarra was busy lighting a few candles in the darkness.

She glanced quickly out at the view, "I guess it is."

Ezra smiled, yet wondered how she couldn't appreciate such a breath-taking view. It was pitch black in the small tent, except for the limited candle-light. Txarra was nestled against the wall, sitting on a cloth rug. She gestured for him to do the same.

Ezra walked over; not once did his eyes leave the landscape, "So, you've lived on the streets long?" He wanted to ask her about her parents, but Ezra knew from personal experience that was not a fun first question.

"Eh, yeah, I was young when I moved to Lothal," Txarra pursed her lips.

"Your parents?"

"Dead," Txarra stated.

"Same," Ezra frowned slightly.

"I didn't know them well. I don't miss them," Txarra shrugged, "It's not a big deal."

Ezra was mostly shocked, but also a little sympathetic. He wouldn't take that for an answer, "Don't you miss them even a _little_?"

Txarra laughed, "Come on, enough about me. What about you?" She scooted torwards Ezra.

"What about me?" Ezra asked, glancing nervously as she moved closer.

"Well, you said your parents died, yet you mentioned a "Hera?" She smiled.

"Oh, I'm just staying with them….I guess you could call them…friends," Ezra didn't know whether to call them family or not. Were they a family? If so, why did they tease him so much?

Txarra's eyes reflected the moon, making their beautiful turquoise paler. She pursed her lips, her eyes attaining a far-away look.

"I was an only child," Txarra began, a distant look in her eyes. "I didn't have anyone; I didn't _need_ anyone…"

Ezra froze, staring at her. She seemed like a different person all of a sudden.

Txarra glanced out at the stars, almost as if she was seeing them for the first time.

"Goodnight Ezra," Txarra shook herself out of her freaky state and laid down, curling herself into the corner. "Try not to snore too loudly."

Ezra nodded, "Yea—hey!"

Txarra laughed.

Ezra thought that was a _pretty good_ sound to fall asleep to.

….

Ezra trudged through the Lothal grass, the sun just coming up. He had forgotten his com yesterday, so there had been no way to contact the Ghost. If they thought he was dead last night, after Hera got to him, he surely was going to be. And, that wasn't the only thing. His wound had opened up, exactly what Hera told him specifically _not_ to do. The bandages were holding, but sodden with blood that wasn't there yesterday. Ezra slung his backpack on his arm ackwardly, so it covered the wound.

That would have to do.

The ramp was open, to Ezra's surprise, and he limped on board.

Zeb was in the entrance, moving some crates. He looked up when Ezra boarded, a brief smile plastered on his face. But, as soon as it was there, it was gone, replaced with a sympathetic one.

"Hera's gonna kill ya," Zeb grumbled, "You should've just died in the market."

As if on cue, Hera came running down the hall. She hesitated when she saw Ezra, scanning him, as if checking if everything was all right. Her face was a mix of anger, relief, and worry.

Hera ran towards him, Ezra winced expecting a slap; Hera was known for her hard fists. But instead, she enveloped him in a hug. She quickly stepped back, composing herself, "You, Ezra Bridger, are in a boat-load of trouble."

Ezra looked down, partly in shame, but mostly to check if his wound was still covered. Hera must have been pretty shaken up not to have noticed it.

Kanan stepped behind Hera, one hand on her shoulder, "You owe us an explanation. Now."

Ezra shrugged innocently, looking down anxiously, hoping Kanan wouldn't notice his flitting eyes.

Kanan's frown deepened.

"I was visiting that citizen I helped yesterday," Ezra offered. A little white lie couldn't hurt. "She asked me to stay the night, and I thought it was the right thing to do…."

Kanan scanned his Padawan's face; there was still something off, but he didn't need to worry Hera more, "Fine, we'll talk about this later. Go get cleaned up, you look like you slept on the ground."

Ezra winced; Kanan wasn't too far off…

…

"See, I told you he was fine," Kanan smiled softly, his arm around Hera's shoulders. They had received news of a riot among the citizens, ending with the death of a Stormtrooper. That was a regular occurrence, but usually the "victim" wasn't _beaten_ to death.

Hera didn't respond, just watched Ezra slink down the hall.

…..

Ezra limped down the hall, pausing at Sabine's room. His hand hovered over the door, ready to open it. _You better knock, genius, or you're never gonna get on her good-side_!

Ezra corrected himself, and gave the door three raps.

Sabine appeared in the doorway, spray-paint in hand, as usual. She looked surprised, almost impressed, "You knocked."

Ezra ducked under her arm, inviting himself in, "Yeah, I noticed."

Sabine sighed, and closed the door behind him, "What did you do now?" She folded her arms across her chest, a slightly amused expression on her lips.

Ezra's eyes widened, his mouth hung open dramatically, "I don't have to be in trouble to visit my favorite crew-member, do I?"

Sabine raised her gaze, thinking, "Yeah, you do. Fess up."

Ezra sighed in defeat. He slowly peeled the back-pack away from his wound. The bandage was saturated, and turning brown around the edges.

Now it was Sabine's turn to sigh. She mouthed something Ezra couldn't catch to the ceiling, then turned and walked out of the room.

Ezra panicked; his only shot at _not_ getting into trouble was walking away! "Sabine, wait! I can explain…"

Sabine kept on walking.

Ezra cursed, biting his lip. Sure Sabine could be….cold….but he didn't think she would do that! He sat quietly, trying to build up courage to go face Hera and Kanan.

He sat in such deep thought, that when Sabine walked back in, with a roll of white bandage he didn't notice her. That is, until she began slowly unwrapping his sodden bandages with care Ezra didn't know she was capable of. Her fingertips gently pried at the gauze, pulling it away, replacing it with a fresh layer. The work was impeccable, almost better than Hera's.

She eyed her work quickly, pursed her lips, and then drew back, "Now, you owe me an explanation." She grabbed a spray-can and shook it.

"Well, you know that citizen I helped with the Empire?" Ezra asked, hoping he wouldn't have to lie. He _hated_ lying to Sabine…it just felt _wrong_.

"Yeah," Sabine murmured, checking the nozzle of her can.

"Well, I went to check on her—"

"Her?" Sabine sounded suddenly interested, although her face tried to hide it. "How old is this _citizen_?"

Ezra frowned, "Old."

Ok, that was technically _not_ a lie. She was at least a year "older" than Ezra.

"A widow?" Sabine knelt down beside Ezra, her eyes on the bandage.

"She doesn't have a husband," Ezra agreed. Again, not a lie, he tried to tell himself.

"Poor woman," Sabine spoke softly, "must be lonely." Ezra heard the sound of paint leaving the can, but didn't question it; he was too distracted by the hole of lies he was slowly and painfully digging.

"I wouldn't think Ezra Bridger of all people would care about a widow," Sabine smirked.

"They happen to be very interesting," Ezra mocked, an image of the crazy preteen ran through his mind.

Sabine just smiled that dazzling smile of hers, focused on something else, "Alright, alright…"

"Done!" Sabine declared, standing up. Ezra watched her proud face, "Done with what?" Sabine gave a smile. The type of smile that indicated she knew something he didn't. She nodded towards his leg.

Ezra looked down, expecting a clean white bandage….That is not what he found. His bandage looked like one of Sabine's explosions, colorful and bright. He couldn't help but give a genuine smile, "Wow."

"Running out of things to paint?" Ezra joked.

"Well, if you keep getting hurt, no."

Ezra laughed, something that was rare in this crazy galaxy.

"Listen, I have to go visit the…er…widow again, will you—?"

"I'll cover for you," Sabine rolled her eyes, one hand on her hip.

Another smile.

….

The hologram was small, but cast light to even the deepest corners of the canvas home. Kallus stood, his posture practically perfect, a data-pad in hand.

"Have you _started_ , my hunter?" Kallus's voice rang, loud and clear to the slightly bowing figure.

"No, it will begin tomorrow, just as planned," a feminine voice spoke sharply, a frown on her full lips.

"Are you positive? We have to start as soon as possible, just in case it doesn—," Kallus began.

"Oh, please," the girl drawled.

"The boy _never_ stood a chance."

* * *

 **I'll just leave that there...**

 **I promise I won't leave you guys hanging as long as I did last time!**

 **This chapter (along with the next) will answer Rebel Spectre 6's comment about Sabine and Txarra from chapter one...;)**

 **What did you think? Please review! It truly helps me work faster and more efficiently!**

 **Until next time,**

 **TheChosenOne260**


	5. The Strike

**Hello again!**

 **Oh, I have some fun in store for you!**

 **I've been really busy, but I hope this chapter will make up for the wait!**

 **But, you're probably not reading this to hear me talk, so here you go! XD**

* * *

Ezra ran to the hidden tent once again, this time he was careful not to break open his wound. Sabine was amazing, but her patience was _limited_.

Sabine…..what would he do without her? Sure, Txarra was great, but she was too….too much like him… While he was always nervous around Sabine, Txarra was a breath of fresh air.

He leaped, jumping roof-tops, and dodging patrols. He was done with those dumb Stormtroopers. He felt a twinge of guilt as he thought about that poor Trooper he had practically beaten to death…

Wait, what if he had killed him? Killed him for no reason? Ezra shook that out of his head. _Where had all these dumb thoughts come from?_

When Ezra thought back on that day, it was laced with joy…when he thought deeper, it was filled with guilt.

 _So, why think so deep?_

Ezra approached Txarra's home, careful not to show any citizens a clear view of his bandage. He was pretty sure not everyone had bright, painted bandages.

Txarra was relaxing, her eyes closed, as if mentally preparing herself for something.

"You ok?" Ezra asked, ducking under the entrance flap.

Txarra didn't look surprised at his arrival, didn't even open her eyes, "Yeah, just tired."

Ezra nodded his head and collapsed beside her. He looked at her. It seemed like, through it all, this was the first time he had gotten a good look at her. She wasn't too tall, but slender. Her midnight black hair was far from raven, even lightened by the sun. Two blasters hung at her hip, similar to Sabine's, Ezra noted. Her face was pale, but carved and freckled. Everything about her, from her ragged, sleek clothing to her black hair, screamed _rebel_. Sabine's look screamed rebel too, but in the complete opposite way.

Finally her eerily pale blue eyes opened, looking out of place with her scoundrel look. She wrinkled her nose looking at Ezra's…colorful…bandages.

"What happened?" she snorted, "Embracing your inner artist?"

Ezra glared playfully, "As a matter of fact, I didn't paint them."

Txarra raised her eyebrows, "Really? Who did then?"

Ezra glanced to the side, almost nervously, "Sabine."

Txarra almost froze. Sabine. It was the girl she had read about in Ezra's portfolio. They claimed she was no serious threat to her mission, and that Ezra had a….special connection to her. _What a better way to start?_ If she took care of the girl, Ezra would allow himself to connect to _her_ more…for the mission, she meant. It was all for the mission. She didn't care who this boy was sweet on. If she wanted her _trap_ to work, he would have to trust her.

A little voice in her head kept nagging on her, telling her she was going to ruin this boy who saw nothing coming. Luckily, she had learned to hold that voice prisoner, forcing it to the back of her mind.

"So, who's this Sabine?" Txarra played dumb, a subtle, innocent look on her face.

"Oh, a friend…in the crew I live with," Ezra shrugged, but the way he said her name, the look on his face…it all implied he cared deeply about her, and the crew.

"A girl?" Txarra grinned, raising an eyebrow.

"She's female if that's what you mean…" Ezra reasoned, not making eye contact, blushing profusely.

"Oh, so she's special…." Txarra nudged him, a fake smile on her face.

"No," Ezra froze suddenly.

Txarra looked surprised, "Oh, you're just a "secret admirer"?"

Ezra groaned, glancing over at Txarra, "She treats me like I'm an empty can of spray paint, I wouldn't call that love."

Ezra was surprised by the bitterness in his voice. Sure Sabine thought of him as a little kid, but she was still…well…Sabine. She was loyal, head-strong, and an amazing fighter. The Ghost crew wouldn't be the same without her. But…sitting here with Txarra, everything she'd done to him seemed ten times worse.

"If she treats you that way, why admire her?" Txarra asked, innocently. She leaned back on the wall and crossed her legs.

"I—it's complicated…"

Txarra gave a small victory smile; he was conflicted. This was the perfect time to strike.

"I mean, she's always been so…well, a loner…But, she's a great crewmate and—"

Ezra froze mid-sentence as he glanced over to see if Txarra was getting bored.

Txarra had her eyes closed tightly, muttering something under her breath. Ezra leaned away, giving Txarra a strange look, "Uh…Txarra?"

Txarra mentally prepared herself. He was a Jedi…the strong-willed always put up a fight. She had never been strong-willed…until she had discovered this formula. It had changed her life. She went from a scared little orphan to a powerful girl, who would be worshiped, even if she had to get that by force.

Her eyes opened, and time froze.

Ezra glanced over at Txarra, even though everything else screamed "no."

 _What harm would it do?_

His eyes met Txarra's pastel blue ones, seemingly against his will.

Then came the pain. It came in waves, searing through his head, turning him inside out. He longed to grab his head, to curl up into a ball like a coward, like the Stormtrooper he had beaten.

But he couldn't.

Txarra grinded her teeth, sweating from the effort. Ezra had put up a bigger fight then she had thought. Ezra sat, suddenly pale, his mouth flickering, trying hard to express the mess of emotions he was feeling. _Just **let go** , Ezra, and this will all be over. No more pain… _

Then the spasms started. Ezra flinched, his breathing got faster. His fingers bent trying to grab a lightsaber he would never reach.

…..

Ezra was in pain. He didn't know what had happened. He didn't know where he was. All he saw was the blurry image of Txarra's face, perfect as usual. Black spots wormed their way into Ezra's vision. Wouldn't it be so easy to let go, to fall into the abyss of sleep, to stop this, this _cruelty_. He saw an image of his crew they were smiling… it pained him to say good-bye. He let the strange desire to sleep overtake him.

Ezra's face contorted in pain once more.

Txarra bit her tongue, drawing blood.

Txarra frowned, a single tear ran down her cheek. She told herself it was from the effort...The terrible truth was, she was terrified. Terrified of her own power. Terrified that the boisterous, sarcastic boy sat pale faced and emotionless in front of her. She cursed herself for having such emotions. She was strong, and this boy was going to _pay_ for whatever he had done.

"Sabine is a fool. She doesn't see who you really are; you're just a tool to her," Txarra spoke, fluently.

Ezra didn't even flinch.

"I suggest you ignore her, treat her as terrible as you were treated living on the streets." Txarra could say anything, even use commands…but somehow, talking like they weren't in a mind-controlled daze worked the best.

"She's _worthless_ , _nothing_." Txarra emphasized. He wouldn't remember any of this, the pain or the words.

With that, she ripped her gaze away.

He was immediately animated, his emotions back. And among those emotions, slight confusion.

"—and she can be…." Ezra trailed off, glancing around.

"Who were we talking about?" Ezra asked, with a small head cock.

"Sabine," Txarra winced, hoping this had worked.

Ezra wrinkled his nose, glancing strangely at his bandages.

"You better go," Txarra nodded, "Your crew will be missing you."

Ezra smiled, his eyes cleared of any haze. "Yeah, Hera will kill me if I'm late again." He stood up and ducked under the curtain on the entrance, but froze. He turned and gave a small wave before taking off in a full sprint.

Txarra smirked as Ezra ran. This was only the beginning…Next time, he wouldn't put up a fight. The time after that, it'd be even easier. Until…

He was hers.

Forever.

…

"Why's this riot such a big deal?" Zeb grumbled.

The crew, minus Ezra was gathered in the cock-pit of the Ghost.

"Because, this wasn't just rebellion, this was _murder_ ," Hera gave them all a tight-lipped look.

"Hate to bring this up, but don't we do that all the time?" Sabine squinted her eyes.

Kanan stepped up, "But usually, we don't beat them to death for no reason." Sabine sighed, opening her mouth to ask another question.

"No Sabine, we don't know if there's a reason," Kanan glared. "But," he continued, "the point is, there was an act of rebellion here on Lothal."

Kanan sat, satisfied now that he had his say in the conversation. He listened to Sabine and Hera's back and forth, but was mostly zoned out…distracted by something…something familiar, yet _different_ ….A feeling, a connection, to someone deep down inside him and now…

Kanan shot to his feet, not meeting any of the crew's surprised looks.

"Something's wrong."

* * *

 **Whoops, another cliff-hanger...**

 **PLEASE review! I always appreciate a comment or some constructive criticism!**

 **Any predictions?**

 **Oh, I have a reason for Txarra Albiste's name...Does anyone know what her name means? ;)**

 **Until next Time,**

 **TheChosenOne260**


	6. The Turn

**Oh my, it's been a while, hasn't it?**

 **Again, I apologize for the slow updates, but school is a priority (not that SWR isn't :)**

 **My updates might be weekly until my schedule dies down, but please keep reviewing and reading!**

 **Here you go!**

* * *

Hera was the first one to her feet, "What is it?" She knew Kanan had good instincts…they usually had to do with the Force. And usually, they _weren't_ good.

Kanan relaxed suddenly, "I don't know—that was strange…"

Zeb and Sabine exchanged an anxious look, wondering what had gotten into their fearless leader.

"Where's Ezra?" Kanan's eyes widened suddenly.

Hera's mouth creased itself in a worried frown, as she placed her hand comfortingly on Kanan's back. Sabine stepped up, unsure, "I sent him to get some paint."

"He's in town?!" Kanan growled. "I thought I told him to stay in his room."

"Well, technically, you didn't say that _specifically_ …."

The crew turned to see their youngest member leaning in the doorway.

Sabine breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully her lie would hold. She tried to meet Ezra's eye, but he was staring straight through her, almost _avoiding_ her gaze?

Hera cleared her throat, "We were just talking about the riot in the market, care to join us?"

Ezra's eyes widened, but just for a second, then he was back to him usual self. He shrugged and collapsed in a chair.

"The people involved were said to be kids, surprisingly," Kanan glanced at Ezra, skeptically.

Ezra panicked, Kanan couldn't know he was the one involved. Ezra almost froze for a second. Ever since he had joined the Ghost crew, he hadn't been able to keep secrets. Now he was keeping a _major_ one…

Sabine nudged Ezra, "Guess it's you and me."

Ezra didn't acknowledge her, "What?" he addressed Kanan.

"You and Sabine are going to investigate," Kanan repeated, shaking his head slowly. "And then we are going to have a talk about your listening skills." He ruffled his padawan's hair, to Ezra's dismay.

Ezra rolled his eyes, "Great."

…..

Ezra did not want to be on this mission with Sabine. He didn't know where these negative feeling had come from, but Kanan had always told his to trust his heart…And right now, it despised Sabine.

"Hurry up, we need to find this alley," Sabine urged, her pace quickening.

"I'll go my own speed, thank you very much," Ezra muttered under his breath.

Sabine gave him a funny look.

"Stop looking at me like that," Ezra growled.

Sabine held her arms up in a surrender sign, "Alright, alright…What's gotten into you?"

Ezra didn't answer, just kept his steady pace. Sabine turned into the dilapidated part of Lothal, ducking under wreckage until she reached her final destination.

"Alright, try not to break anything," Sabine joked, looking at the rubble.

Karabast, she treated him like a _kid_! Ezra resisted the urge to slap her. Woah…he wouldn't slap her, right? She may be terrible to him, but…

...

Sabine sifted through the alley, her mind only half on the mission. Ezra was acting like a jerk! She had bandaged him, covered for him, even gave his bandages a wicked makeover. And to return the favor, he was ignoring her? Something was off…

"I don't see anything, we should head back," Sabine signaled Ezra.

Ezra didn't respond, just gave a small nod of his head. Sabine bit her lip once more…man, this kid knew how to get under her skin.

Sabine turned to exit, when her foot hit something hard, "Ouch!"

She reached down to find a long gun. She ran her fingers along it, searching for anything unique. Her hand grabbed a piece of black fabric.

Ezra turned to find Sabine inspecting a black cloth. He cursed under his breath; that was a piece of _Txarra's_ glove. He resisted the urge to tackle Sabine.

It wouldn't do any good, he told himself, they couldn't find her with just that.

…

The crew gathered in the cockpit once again. Hera was the only one standing, looking curiously at Ezra and Sabine, "Find anything?"

Sabine sighed, "This is a waste of time…remind me why we're doing this?"

"We need to know if these are allies…or terrorists," Kanan spoke. "Either one will have consequences."

"I found a piece of cloth on a long gun," Sabine began, dejectedly. "The gun was too large to sneak back here, but I have the cloth." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the ripped material.

"Basically we found nothing," Ezra interrupted.

"Not that Sabine was trying too hard."

Sabine sucked in a deep breath, trying to keep calm. She didn't know why he was acting like a complete Sleemo, but it was getting on her nerves.

She stood, tipping over her chair, "Listen here, Ezra Bridger. You have been nothing but a _jerk_ this whole mission!"

Kanan and Hera stared, shocked at Sabine's outburst.

But before they could say anything, Ezra stood abruptly.

"Oh, I'm _sorry_ , Sabine. You want me to apologize? Why don't I give you a back massage while I'm at it?"

They were dangerously close.

Ezra felt pure, uncontrolled rage. He didn't know _why_ he felt it, but it was there.

And when you're blind with rage, you do terrible things.

Sabine found herself sprawled on the ground. She looked up, her face of complete utter shock. Even Zeb was surprised, trying to decide whether to hit Ezra, or help Sabine up.

Hera's face was flushed as she began to step forward a hand raised menacingly.

But Kanan was there, a hand in front of Hera, a deadly calm expression on his face,

"We need to talk. Now."

Ezra looked from his hand to the ground, thrown off for a second. He hadn't actually done that, had he? But then again, in some weird way, he wasn't sorry. But harming a crew member? Intentionally?

Before the crew had made sense of it all, Kanan was pulling Ezra towards the ramp, not stopping when Ezra stumbled. Ezra snuck a quick glance back at the scene they were leaving. Sabine's eyes searched Ezra's face, looking for a sign of remorse. She was met with nothing.

…..

Ezra sat in silence with Kanan, breathing in the Lothal air. Kanan hadn't said anything. In a way, that was worse than a lecture; at least it would have filled the empty space.

"Are you going to punish me already?" Ezra spoke, loudly. Kanan studied his Padawan's face, confused. He knew Ezra hadn't had the easiest life, and was not quick to trust, but Kanan thought he was past this childish behavior.

"Kid, I'm not going to punish you," he spoke finally.

Ezra looked up, baffled, "But—"

Kanan looked at Ezra, a stare that stopped him in his tracks, "Are you sorry?" Ezra found himself wincing at the words. He wasn't sorry, and he would shove Sabine back on the floor in a heart-beat.

"Yes."

 _Liar._ But Ezra knew he was lying, and it didn't bother him…not that much.

"Plus, the way Sabine's gonna treat you is punishment enough," Kanan laughed, shoving his Padawan's playfully, and throwing his arm around his shoulders. Ezra squirmed, trying to escape, but there was no use trying. It was strangely…comforting…

"Promise me you'll apologize to Sabine?" Kanan leaned back, but stared into Ezra's eyes, unwavering.

"Yeah, she's not gonna be too happy," Ezra scratched the back of his head nervously.

 _Another Lie._

But, Ezra let himself enjoy Kanan's presence, and the planet he had grown up on. He found himself watching the stars dim, as his head rested limply on Kanan's chest.

Kanan didn't know what had gotten into his Padawan. But, he wouldn't rest until he found out. He watched as Ezra's breathing softened, his sleepy eyes blinking slowly, until he was lost in the world of sleep.

If something happened to his Padawan, Kanan wouldn't know _what_ to do.

* * *

 **What'd you think?**

 **PLEASE review, anonymous or not!**

 **I enjoy your input and suggestions!**

 **And multiple people guessed it (or used Google translate (counting me ;))**

 **Txarra Albiste means "Bad News"...I'll leave you with that...**

 **~Until next time,**

 **TheChosenOne260**


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